


'cause i still fucking love you

by hvtchner



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Gay Sam Wilson, Height Differences, High School AU, Lesbian Natasha Romanov, M/M, Multi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Short tony, Sort Of, and this is an idealized version of high school, because high school sucks balls <3, do what u wish with that info, domestic stuff, eventual blackhill, eventual buckynat, eventual sambucky, everyone is very cute, good for them!, he's like 5'1 or something LMAO, himbo steve rogers <3, hmm what else, i haven't mentioned it yet, i probably could have tagged that earlier, i refuse to let tony be taller than 5'3, let's say they're all like juniors, like really short, mention of stevepeggy, more like exes to lovers, oh i have a tag, or something, rhodey and nat are like the best ever, stole the title from drivers license lol, that's all i have rn, tony has fluffy hair and glasses, tony is precious !!, tony stark is a mean bisexual, very good tony rhodey nat friendship !!, well look at that i've practically spoiled the fic i may as well put that in the relationship tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:15:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28747524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hvtchner/pseuds/hvtchner
Summary: stevetony high school au :) basically sweet himbo football player steve and mean science nerd tony
Relationships: Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau, James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, nothing else yet cuz spoilers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	1. chap 1 - chem class

_ wednesday, may 2nd _

It’s too early in the morning to see Steve Rogers. The team must have had an early practice, because his hair is wet from the shower. He walks into the chemistry classroom, flanked by Barnes and Sam Wilson. Tony doesn’t like either of them that much. He’s already sitting alone in the back of the class - He doesn’t need to be up front to suck up to the teacher by answering questions or anything, the actual work he does gets him an easy  _ A _ . Sitting in the back also makes it easier to avoid interaction with other people. Tony isn’t completely antisocial, it’s just that most people are assholes. The problem is, Tony’s also a bit of an asshole so the actual nice people tend to not like him. Luckily for him, he has Rhodey and Natasha. They’re great. They both stuck with him through the whole Steve Disaster. 

The Supreme Asshole himself and his friends sat at the front of the class, and talked for a few minutes before the teacher stood up and shushed them. She announced that they’re doing a project - a project where they have to pair up. Tony’s eyes immediately scanned the room to find his sort-of-friend Maria. She wasn’t there. 

“I’ll be choosing your partners for you.” 

Tony’s shoulders slump. He sits and waits for his name to be called, along with whatever poor soul who had to work with him. 

“Stark, and…” the teacher looks at a couple different people, then her eyes land on Steve. “Rogers. You two can do palladium.” 

Tony watches his ex-boyfriend bite his lip, that face he makes when he’s thinking. Then he turns around to smile at him. Tony smiles, too, but it probably looked more like a grimace. 

A couple more minutes for the teacher to assign the rest of the partners and call roll, then she releases them to set up a time to work. Steve bumps knuckles with his friends in the typical annoying high school boy manner and then turns to walk over to Tony. The teacher misjudged the time, though, and the bell rang right when Steve got to Tony’s desk.

“Hey! Let me walk you to your locker?”

Tony sighs. “Yeah.”

They walk out of the classroom together, Steve’s shoulder a bit too close to Tony’s. Tony’s ear, to be more specific. Steve has almost a foot on him. It’d be embarrassing, that is if anyone ever dared to bring it up.

“So, my place or yours? For the project.” Steve’s smiling, and it’s almost weird how genuine, and… kind his smile is. Tony would have swooned a year ago, but it’s different now. Obviously. 

“My parents are gone this weekend.”  _ Again _ , he doesn’t add. “You can come over Friday night.”

“We have games Friday night.” 

“Saturday night, then. 7 o’clock. ” They’re standing at his locker now, Tony turning the little lock. 

“That works.” Steve grins again. “Text me if anything changes.” 

“Yeah.” Tony shoots him a tight smile and Natasha, the lifesaver that she is, walks up and slings an arm around Tony’s shoulder. 

“Hey, Natasha.” Steve smiles at her, not nearly as friendly as the ones directed at Tony.

“Rogers.” She’s completely straight-faced as she flicks her wrist to close the locker, swings Tony around, and walks them both into the other direction. 

Steve’s still standing at Tony’s locker, dopey look on his face as his hand stays frozen in a little wave. 

“Anthony, what the hell were you doing?” She still has her arm around his shoulders, talking directly into his ear while they walk. Nat’s only an inch or so taller than him, but she always wears at  _ least _ three inch platforms or heels. Maybe Tony should borrow them. Her hair tickles the side of his neck, she curled it today. It smells nice. Vanilla. 

“We got assigned to do a chemistry project together.” 

“An in-class thing, or do you guys have to meet up?”

“He’s coming over on Saturday.” 

“First of all, that’s an awful idea. Second of all, me and James are coming over on Saturday.” 

“You’ve gotta start calling people by their names, Nat. Rhodey or Barnes?”

“Rhodes. Why would I invite Bucky to your house, I know you don’t like him.”

“Yeah. Well, come over in the morning and we can spend all day together. He isn’t coming until seven.”

“Cool. Find some movies, something we can do.”

“Yes ma’am.”   
  


“You’ve got to get to your history class, get going.” 

Tony smiles at how she’s memorized his schedule. “Wanna go out to lunch later?”   


“Yea, I’ll drive.” She smiles at him and walks off in the opposite direction, and Tony heads to his next class. 

It passes pretty quickly. On his way to the parking lot, Tony runs into Rhodey.

“Hey!” Tony grins. “Wanna go get lunch with me and ‘Tasha?”

Rhodey nods. “Yeah, let me text Thor. We were supposed to study.” Tony stands there for a second, watching Rhodey cancel the plans. 

“Ready?”

Rhodey smiles and slings his arm over Tony’s shoulders. Tony sighs.

“You two have got to stop doing that.”

“Tones, I hope your ego isn’t fragile enough to be bruised by your height. Or… lack of height, I guess.” 

Tony slips out from his arm and elbows his friend in the side.

“Shit!” Rhodey groans, cradling his ribs. 

“You one hundred percent deserved that one, asshole.” Tony huffs.

Rhodey laughs. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

~

“A black coffee and a turkey sandwich, please.” Tony smiles at the waitress.

Rhodey gets a ham sandwich and a can of raspberry tea, and Nat gets a latte and a scone. 

They’re at their favorite little café , conveniently located a few minutes from the school. Nobody’s ever really there, and it’s perfect and cozy and smells like freshly roasted coffee. It’s Tony’s favorite place, aside from his mini-workshop in the walk-in closet at home. 

“So, Anthony, why don’t you tell James about your, uh, current situation?”

Tony coughs. “Tasha.” 

“What situation?” Rhodey leans into the table on his elbows, already worried.

“Nothing, nothing, just some bullshit with Steve.”

“Tony!” He whisper-shouts. 

“Not by choice. We have a chem project.” 

  
  
  


“He invited him over Saturday.” Natasha leans back in her chair. 

“We’re coming over Saturday!” Rhodey frowns. 

“That’s what I told him.” 

“Guys, chill out. You’re still coming over Saturday. And tomorrow, and Friday, and Sunday, if you want. Hell, you can come over tonight and stay until Monday for all I care.”

“Yeah, Tones, it’s not that.” Rhodey sighs. “I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”

Natasha nods. 

“Yeah, guys, neither do I.” 

A little less than a year ago, Tony fell in love with Steve. Maybe. He’s not exactly sure what really being in love with someone feels like. Tony had  _ liked _ Steve, at the very least. But Steve was seeing a girl. Peggy Carter. She’s beautiful, she’s smart, she was practically perfect, then she dumped Steve to go back to London. It wasn’t as serious for her as it was for him. Tony’s not really the jealous type, but nothing compared to the pride and sense of opportunity he felt when Peggy announced that she was leaving. Steve asked Tony out. They went on a few dates, and it was going pretty well. But Steve wasn’t over Peggy, and if Tony had to be anything to anyone, he would never be second best. 

So Tony broke up with him. It’s hard when Steve grins everytime they see each other, even though Tony avoids conversation with him at all costs. It’s hard when Tony knows that Steve hasn’t dated a single person since then. It’s hard because Barnes told Natasha that Steve’s in love with Tony. It’s really hard because Tony might be in love with him, too. 

  
  


~

_ friday, may 4th  _

Chemistry class again. Tony takes his seat in the back, like always, and waits for the teacher to inevitably tell them to work on the project with their partners. 

Turns out there’s a lab to do, and the part that they have to do out of the classroom is a report and an essay. 

Steve makes his way to the back of the class and sits down next to Tony. 

“Wanna get started, Tones?” 

“Yeah. Don’t call me that.” It came out harsher than he meant. 

“Oh. Yeah, my bad. Want me to go get the stuff?”   
  


“Go for it.” Once Steve is gone, Tony mentally smacks himself in the face. There’s no real reason to be so hostile towards Steve. But then again, Tony has plenty of reason to be bitter.

Steve brings back a handful of scales and rulers and shit they’re probably not going to need. 

Tony takes a deep breath. “Alright, we’re just finding the oxidation state.” 

Before long, the class ends and Tony’s texting Natasha. 

T: i’ll walk home today :) don’t really wanna sit in a car

N: Tony, it’s nine miles.

T: yeah?

N: I’m driving you.

T: i’ve got it handled

N: You’re an idiot if you think I’m letting you walk nine miles.

T: you’re annoying and ur gonna drill me with questions 

N: Yeah I probably would. Just talked to Rhodes, he’s driving you. Meet him in the parking lot.

T: fine

T: see you tomorrow <3

N: Love you

T: <3

  
  



	2. tony's house

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> natasha and rhodey come over, steve comes to do the chem project

_saturday, may 5th , 8:55am_

Tony wakes up earlier than he normally does on a weekend. Not intentionally, of course. Natasha’s sitting on him.

“What… the fuck.” Tony groans, groggy from sleep. 

“Morning!” She chirps. There’s a cup of coffee in her hand that’s probably more creamer than actual coffee (she loves the disgustingly sweet vanilla shit that Tony’s mom buys) and she’s sitting with her legs crossed on his stomach. 

“You broke into my house.” He rubs his eyes.

“I just unlocked the door. I have a key, dork.” 

“I didn’t give you a key.”

“I watched you give her a key.” Apparently Rhodey’s lying next to him. 

“Guys…” Tony mumbles. “How long have you been here?” 

“Just half an hour or so.” Rhodey sits up. 

Tony mumbles something rude under his breath, but they know he doesn’t mean it. He’d much rather wake up with his best friends in bed with him than wake up alone. “Get your ass off me, Tasha, I need to pee.” 

She snorts and rolls off of him, laying her head on Rhodey’s stomach and kicking Tony out of bed. Somehow she didn’t spill the coffee. 

Tony goes to the bathroom, washes his face, brushes his teeth, then goes to style his hair but just leaves it how it is. Natasha likes playing with his hair when it’s all messy, and they’re probably not going anywhere today. He looks at the little case for his contacts, then decides against it. They hurt his eyes, and again, they’re not going anywhere today so he might as well just wear his glasses. 

When Tony walks out of the bathroom, Nat _aww_ s and makes grabby hands at him. “C’mere, Stark.” 

Tony grins and jumps into the bed to lay between them. _Where did Rhodey find a book?_

Nat fixes his glasses that got all lopsided as he lays on her chest. “Steve still coming later?”

“You’re ruining my vibe, Tasha.” He mumbles into her sweater. 

“Sorry. You know we’re worried.” 

“I _knowww._ God, you two are like overbearing parents sometimes.” 

Natasha kisses his forehead. “You love us.” 

Rhodey chuckles as he turns a page. Tony huffs at them. 

“Wanna watch a movie?” Rhodey asks them.

  
  


_saturday, may 5th, 4pm_

  
  


“You guys wanna order some food?” They’re all three sprawled across the couches in Tony’s living room, halfway through _The Princess Bride_. 

“How ‘bout that pizza place downtown you love?” Rhodey suggests. Tony grins. 

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Tony tosses his phone to Nat. “Order pizza for us, will you?” 

“Do it yourself, loser.” She throws the phone back at him and he huffs, standing up to go into the kitchen. He calls in, ordering two larges because Steve might want to eat later and it never hurts to have leftovers. He checks his texts after, finding one from his mom.

M: Hi love, hope everything’s going okay! Your dad’s stay had to be extended a couple days, so we should be back around tuesday. See you then, take care of the house! (Your Dad says hi!)

Tony sighs. No, he didn’t. 

T: sure, mom. miss you. tell dad i said hi back

She won’t. There’s another text, from Steve this time. Tony ignores how he got butterflies for a split second. 

S: Still good for 7? I can pick up some food on the way if u want? 

T: all good, i just ordered some pizza. see u later

Steve sends back a thumbs up right away and Tony smiles to himself. When he realizes what he’s smiling at, he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

  
  


_saturday, may 5th, 6:30pm_

  
  


“Alright, you guys, beat it. I don’t need you two harassing Steve when he gets here. And I need to get ready.” He gestures at himself in his flannel pajama pants and baggy t-shirt with a pizza sauce stain.

“Fine, fine.” Natasha groans. “Keep the hair and the glasses though. You look precious.”

“I’m not precious. You’re annoying.” Nat giggles and kisses him on the cheek, then ruffles his hair. Rhodey hugs him. 

“Don’t do anything dumb, Tones.”

“God, you two have absolutely _no_ faith in me!” 

Rhodey laughs and flicks him on the forehead. “Have fun with your project.”

“See ya, honeybear. Bye Tasha.” They wave and head out the door, Natasha (disappointingly) remembering to grab her set of keys off the counter. 

Tony spends a couple minutes folding the blankets and picking up napkins. It was easy, Nat and Rhodey aren’t messy. 

The next twenty minutes are spent changing clothes. He finally settles on some mom jeans and a white button up. The jeans may or may not have been stolen from Natasha. He puts on his favorite pair of Docs (real leather, not the patent leather shit he hates), and smiles at himself in the mirror. He looks good, as usual. There’s no reason to. Why would he be trying to impress Steve, who’s undoubtedly going to show up in a pair of ratty old joggers and a tank top? 

He was wrong. When Tony opens the door for Steve, he’s wearing jeans, a nice shirt, and a pair of actually clean shoes. 

“Hey, Rogers.”

“Tony, hi!” Tony stands there, looking at him dumbly. “Uh, can I come in?” 

“Sorry, yeah.” Tony steps aside and lets Steve in. “There’s pizza on the counter.” 

“Oh, cool.” Steve goes to grab a piece. “Sorry, I’m starving. I just came from practice. I showered and changed and everything, just didn’t have time to eat.” 

Tony stares as he eats two giant slices in a minute flat. Steve, of course, goes to throw his plate away, wash his hands, and wash the dirty dishes in the sink while he’s at it. 

“Wanna start the report?” Steve physically has to tilt his head down to even see Tony at all. 

“Yeah, yeah. I have my papers and shit on the couch already.” 

“Cool.” 

They work in silence for a few minutes, only the sound of shuffling pages and typing on their laptop keyboards to fill the room. 

“Hey, Tony?” 

“Mhm?” He hums, not looking up.

“You look really nice today.” 

Tony hopes Steve can’t see the way his cheeks flush pink. “Thanks… uh, thank you, Steve.” 

“Yeah.” Steve’s smile is nothing but kind and genuine. “Read me your second paragraph?” 

  
  
  


_saturday, may 5th, 9:12 pm_

  
  


“Shit, Tony, I’ve gotta get home. My ma’s gonna worry. She has an early shift, I don’t wanna keep her up waiting for me to get back.” 

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” 

“Thanks, Tony. For having me over, I mean. I’m glad we got partnered up for this.”

“Yeah. Say hi to your mom for me, Steve.” 

“Will do. I’ll, uh, see you at school.”

“See you on Monday.” Steve lets himself out and Tony lets out a long exhale. Those were the best couple hours of his week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's chapter two :D comment if u liked it mwah mwah

**Author's Note:**

> that's the first chapter ! there should be a lot more coming, i already have some more in the works.   
> dm me on @hvtchner on twitter to talk about our marvel headcanons :DD or just follow me idc  
> also shoutout to alina @hijabibarnes for helping me out with the plot and characters ! :D <3


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